Concourse started construction on a massive “nature-based” project just outside of the Houston city limits, in Hockley.
Called the Grand Prairie, it will be a 1,700-acre master-planned community, situated 6 miles west of the Grand Parkway in Houston’s fast-growing northwest submarket.
The Houston-based developer acquired the tract in 2018 in collaboration with local investment firm Maquina Holdings for an undisclosed amount.
The development will be centered around a 70-acre manmade lake, conveniently good for kayaking but designed for drainage as a flood control reservoir for the region, per a partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District.
The landscape, with parks and walking trails, will be maintained under the oversight of the Coastal Prairie Conservancy. No highrises or strip malls will be constructed, and natural habitats will be preserved, along with unobstructed, open space.
“We’re restoring the grasslands to their natural state as a neutralizer to the constant stimulation that distracts from the real beauty of life to create a community that places a premium on family, friends and neighbors. The thrill that comes from chasing fireflies is much greater than the manufactured feeling kids get from hunting down avatars in a digital warzone,” said Harry Masterson, Concourse co-founder.
About 480 homes are planned in its first phase. Perry Homes, Westin Homes, Village Builders, Sitterle Homes and David Weekley Homes have been tapped to build homes priced over $300,000 to under $700,000, according to a news release. Eight model homes and a welcome center are expected to open this fall.
The Houston Association of Realtors named Hockley the No. 1 hottest community in Greater Houston, citing a 53 percent year-over-year increase in home sale transactions in the first quarter of this year. As affordability has become increasingly out of reach, Houstonians are opting for smaller, outlying suburbs. Hockley had an average home price of $340,000, nearly 20 percent cheaper than the metro’s $408,000 average last quarter.
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Johnson Development is planning a 4,900-home master-planned community — Jubilee — located just south of 290 in Hockley, with homes expected to hit the market by the end of this year.